19 April 2012. Legislation to establish the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) was introduced to Parliament today. IBAC’s powers will be broad based and will cover the public service, Victoria Police, government department agencies, MPs and ministers, councillors, judges and staff. The IBAC will have powers to investigate and search; powers for officers to carry firearms, powers to prosecute; and powers to restore integrity into government.

Such legislation is already in place in other jurisdictions, such as New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland.

The IBAC will have discretion to decide which of its investigations it makes public. To allay the fears of the public Premier Ted Baillieu said that it does not mean that the new body will not be transparent. He added that IBAC would decide what information remained behind closed doors.

Here is a YouTube video posted four months ago when the idea for Anti-Corruption Commission was revealed last year.